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With identical 2-3 overall records, the South Dakota School of Mines and Black Hills State football teams square off today in a 1 p.m. Dakota Athletic Conference matchup with the infamous Homestake trophy once again on the line.
Saturday’s rivalry game marks the 120th meeting between the two teams with South Dakota School of Mines holding a 57-51 advantage

By Brad Blume
Sports Information Director
South Dakota School of Mines
RAPID CITY --- With identical 2-3 overall records, the South Dakota School of Mines and Black Hills State football teams square off today in a 1 p.m. Dakota Athletic Conference matchup with the infamous Homestake trophy once again on the line.
Saturday’s rivalry game marks the 120th meeting between the two teams with South Dakota School of Mines holding a 57-51 advantage. The contest has also ended in 11 ties.
Last season’s meeting saw the Yellow Jackets deliver quite a sting, defeating the Hardrockers, 57-0, in Rapid City during SDM’s homecoming festivities. The ‘Rockers would like nothing better to return the favor this year, becoming the homecoming spoilers for their long time rivals.
“The big thing for us is we want to be competitive in this rivalry,” said Hardrocker head coach Dan Kratzer. “We want that trophy back.”
In fact, the last time that SDM was in possession of the trophy was 2004 when the two teams faced each other twice during the season. The Hardrockers won the non-conference game, 10-9, and earned the trophy, but then had to relinquish it later that season when the Yellow Jackets earned a 21-10 DAC victory over SDM.
“The only (player) on our team that knows what it’s like to have the trophy is coach (Joe) Zogg,” Kratzer said referring to his assistant offensive line coach. In 2004 Zogg played on the offensive line for the Hardrockers as a senior. “We played BH twice that year. We beat them and got the trophy the first game of the season, but then had to give it up later that year. We want it back.”
The Hardrockers had a great start to the current season, darting out to a 2-0 start, while the Jackets moved along slowly, dropping their first two outings. SDM has stumble since then, losing their last three contests, including DAC games to Minot State (17-10) and Dickinson State (24-3), while the Yellow Jackets have been up and down over the stretch with convincing wins over Valley City State (37-17) and Dickinson (23-3) but falling to Minot (30-14).
While the South Dakota School of Mines defense has been solid since the season started, the offense has had a little trouble keeping pace. The Jackets also had some offensive woes as the season began, but are starting to develop well and appear to be balanced on both sides of the ball.
The Hardrockers have earned 16 national rankings this week as a team, including three Top 10 nods. SDM is ranked 6th in scoring defense, allowing only 54 points in five games. They are also eighth in punt return yards per attempt with 15.3 and ninth in passing defense effiency which is almost 80 percent. They also netted a 12th place ranking in pass defense per game allowing only 136 yards.
The Yellow Jackets also have some national accolades with 17 NAIA rankings, with their best being a seventh in total defense per game allowing 231.4 yards each time out and 10th in punt return yards per attempt with 14.4.
Individually, both squads also have some standout players that measure up with the nation’s best.
Hardrocker junior Tyrell Anderson (Green River, Wyo.) is third in the NAIA in total tackles, averaging 12.8 per game. Freshman Tom Lunzman (Gretna, Neb.) is currently sixth in the nation in interceptions per game, getting almost one per outing (.08) and junior Chad Westendorf (Geddes, S.D.) and Lunzman are both tied for 10th in pass deflections per game, both averaging 1.6. On the offensive side, senior Lukas Munsell (Mills, Wyo.) is currently 10th in the nation in punt return average per attempt at 13.9 yards.
For Black Hills State, sophomore Wacey Coleman earned two rankings --- 15th in sacks per game (6 total) and 39th in tackles for a loss per game at 1.4. Freshman kicker Kraig Tafoya, who most recently received the DAC Special Teams Player of the Week, holds the No. 16th rating in punt yards per attempt with 40.2. Sophomore Darrel Neiman is 17th in the nation in interceptions per game with 0.6 a game and junior linebacker Tyler Tetrault is 21st in tackle for a loss with 1.6 a game.
After what has happened the last two weeks in the conference, the Yellow Jackets have a slight edge with a 1-1 record to the Hardrockers 0-2 mark.
Looking at the conference statistics, the Hardrockers are first in punt return yards --- averaging 15.3, second in scoring defense --- allowing only 54 points this season, second in rushing offense --- racking up 646 yards and scoring four touchdowns, third in total D --- averaging 280 yards a game and fifth in total offense --- tallying 1,242 yards on the season.
The Yellow Jackets are first in both total defense (231.4 yards) and first in sacks (15). They also rank third in rushing offense (638 total yards), third in passing offense (792 yards and six TDs) and fourth in scoring offense (15.4 points a game) as well as total offense (284.4 yards a game).
“Black Hills State has a talented team. They went to the national playoffs last year. I respect their program” Kratzer said. “It’s time for us to earn some respect and we do that by winning.”
South Dakota School of Mines junior defensive back Chad Westendorf (25) delivers a hit on a Mayville State ball carrier while teammate freshman Tom Lunzman (38) assists on the tackle during a recent home game. Both players are ranked in the NAIA Top 10 for pass deflections. Photo by Beth Honaker.

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By Brad Blume
Sports Information Director
South Dakota School of Mines
RAPID CITY --- With identical 2-3 overall records, the South Dakota School of Mines and Black Hills State football teams square off today in a 1 p.m. Dakota Athletic Conference matchup with the infamous Homestake trophy once again on the line.
Saturday’s rivalry game marks the 120th meeting between the two teams with South Dakota School of Mines holding a 57-51 advantage. The contest has also ended in 11 ties.
Last season’s meeting saw the Yellow Jackets deliver quite a sting, defeating the Hardrockers, 57-0, in Rapid City during SDM’s homecoming festivities. The ‘Rockers would like nothing better to return the favor this year, becoming the homecoming spoilers for their long time rivals.
“The big thing for us is we want to be competitive in this rivalry,” said Hardrocker head coach Dan Kratzer. “We want that trophy back.”
In fact, the last time that SDM was in possession of the trophy was 2004 when the two teams faced each other twice during the season. The Hardrockers won the non-conference game, 10-9, and earned the trophy, but then had to relinquish it later that season when the Yellow Jackets earned a 21-10 DAC victory over SDM.
“The only (player) on our team that knows what it’s like to have the trophy is coach (Joe) Zogg,” Kratzer said referring to his assistant offensive line coach. In 2004 Zogg played on the offensive line for the Hardrockers as a senior. “We played BH twice that year. We beat them and got the trophy the first game of the season, but then had to give it up later that year. We want it back.”
The Hardrockers had a great start to the current season, darting out to a 2-0 start, while the Jackets moved along slowly, dropping their first two outings. SDM has stumble since then, losing their last three contests, including DAC games to Minot State (17-10) and Dickinson State (24-3), while the Yellow Jackets have been up and down over the stretch with convincing wins over Valley City State (37-17) and Dickinson (23-3) but falling to Minot (30-14).
While the South Dakota School of Mines defense has been solid since the season started, the offense has had a little trouble keeping pace. The Jackets also had some offensive woes as the season began, but are starting to develop well and appear to be balanced on both sides of the ball.
The Hardrockers have earned 16 national rankings this week as a team, including three Top 10 nods. SDM is ranked 6th in scoring defense, allowing only 54 points in five games. They are also eighth in punt return yards per attempt with 15.3 and ninth in passing defense effiency which is almost 80 percent. They also netted a 12th place ranking in pass defense per game allowing only 136 yards.
The Yellow Jackets also have some national accolades with 17 NAIA rankings, with their best being a seventh in total defense per game allowing 231.4 yards each time out and 10th in punt return yards per attempt with 14.4.
Individually, both squads also have some standout players that measure up with the nation’s best.
Hardrocker junior Tyrell Anderson (Green River, Wyo.) is third in the NAIA in total tackles, averaging 12.8 per game. Freshman Tom Lunzman (Gretna, Neb.) is currently sixth in the nation in interceptions per game, getting almost one per outing (.08) and junior Chad Westendorf (Geddes, S.D.) and Lunzman are both tied for 10th in pass deflections per game, both averaging 1.6. On the offensive side, senior Lukas Munsell (Mills, Wyo.) is currently 10th in the nation in punt return average per attempt at 13.9 yards.
For Black Hills State, sophomore Wacey Coleman earned two rankings --- 15th in sacks per game (6 total) and 39th in tackles for a loss per game at 1.4. Freshman kicker Kraig Tafoya, who most recently received the DAC Special Teams Player of the Week, holds the No. 16th rating in punt yards per attempt with 40.2. Sophomore Darrel Neiman is 17th in the nation in interceptions per game with 0.6 a game and junior linebacker Tyler Tetrault is 21st in tackle for a loss with 1.6 a game.
After what has happened the last two weeks in the conference, the Yellow Jackets have a slight edge with a 1-1 record to the Hardrockers 0-2 mark.
Looking at the conference statistics, the Hardrockers are first in punt return yards --- averaging 15.3, second in scoring defense --- allowing only 54 points this season, second in rushing offense --- racking up 646 yards and scoring four touchdowns, third in total D --- averaging 280 yards a game and fifth in total offense --- tallying 1,242 yards on the season.
The Yellow Jackets are first in both total defense (231.4 yards) and first in sacks (15). They also rank third in rushing offense (638 total yards), third in passing offense (792 yards and six TDs) and fourth in scoring offense (15.4 points a game) as well as total offense (284.4 yards a game).
“Black Hills State has a talented team. They went to the national playoffs last year. I respect their program” Kratzer said. “It’s time for us to earn some respect and we do that by winning.”
South Dakota School of Mines junior defensive back Chad Westendorf (25) delivers a hit on a Mayville State ball carrier while teammate freshman Tom Lunzman (38) assists on the tackle during a recent home game. Both players are ranked in the NAIA Top 10 for pass deflections. Photo by Beth Honaker.

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Saturday’s rivalry game marks the 120th meeting between the two teams with South Dakota School of Mines holding a 57-51 advantage

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Saturday’s rivalry game marks the 120th meeting between the two teams with South Dakota School of Mines holding a 57-51 advantage